Home What breast pump do you recomend?

[drk]

Do any of you have any feedback on good double breast pumps?

I''ve been eyeing the Medela freestyle and the ameda purely yours. I''ll be pumping at work when I go back at 3 months, and may need to start sooer if weight gain continues to be an issue for my newborn. I want something relatively low maintenance (less parts to wash), easy to use, able to be used hands-free with the special bras, and not super loud (since I''ll probably be reduced to pumping under my scrubs in the OR while giving anesthetics).

Thanks!

 

[NovemberBride]

DRK - I have the Medela Freestyle and I love it. The only thing I don''t like is the handsfree part - the straps are hard to put on and they''ve gone flying off a few times. But I bought one of the hands free bras and that solved the problem.

Re: weight gain - don''t let them pressure you into supplementing unless your DD really needs it. The rule about regaining birthweight by 2 weeks doesn''t really apply to EBF babies. So long as she''s eating regularly (every 2-3 hours round the clock) and has dirty and wet diapers, you are fine. My DD was 6lb 14 oz at birth, dropped to 6 lb 4 oz before we left the hospital and did not get back to her birthweight until after 3 weeks. As long as she was gaining pedi said we were fine to keep EBFing. I am a small person and DD is as well (at 4 months she was 12 lb 5 oz and very healthy).

 

[ponder]

I loved my Medela. If you are really serious about BFing, make sure you get a quality pump.

 

[Jas12]

I had a medela swing (just a single pump) but i really liked it. I think it''s a good company. I''d certainly buy the best you can afford. Saves time/$ in the long run to have a good pump and i know so many moms that bought a cheap one only to then go out and buy another b/c the cheapie wasn''t cutting it.

 

[Mara]

drk i posted in the newborn thread but i got the PY and i really like it. our LC told us that medela and ameda are owned by the same parent co and that PY is basically the same pump as the PIS. but it''s a closed system which means it''s more sanitary and it''s one of only pumps that you can resell or give away to someone else, and not worry about because it is a closed system. oh and it''s like almost 1/2 price of the PIS. good luck.

 

[snlee]

I used the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Double Electric Breastpump (The Metro Bag). I pumped once everyday starting at about 1 month and then several times a day when I went back to work when DS was almost 5 months old. The Medela In Style worked for me. It''s not handsfree but I think you can buy a wrap to make it handsfree. I never did but maybe I will this time around. I agree with buying the best one you can afford. One thing about the bag though, I hated the metro bag. It''s big and clunky and doesn''t stay shut very well. I used it for awhile but then ended up switching to a timbuktu messenger bag and liked that much better!

 

[vespergirl]

I used the Medela Freestyle in my last pregnancy and it was great - I''m planning on using it again when my new little guy arrives in a few weeks.

 

[packrat]

I used a Medela one, but I''m not sure which it was.. Pump In Style I think? It was an older one-I borrowed my bff''s both times. I liked it. It was a double one, but not hands free.

 

[upgrade]

Another vote for the Medela Pump in Style. I used mine through 2 kids and it was awesome. If you''re pumping a lot, a double is a must.

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

I used a PY for 8 months when I pumped for my 3 year old (went back to work when he was 4 months). I really didn''t have any complaints about it -- I learned to respond reasonably well to it, it was light enough to tote back and forth every day, I felt it was a worthwhile purchase over all. I was going to use it again, but apparently something got into one of the knobs so it sticks now (and when Ben was born, I hadn''t located the horns!).

Now I have the Medela Freestyle and like it overall. It was more expensive than the PY, but I felt I got a good price on it from a lactation consultant, rather than paying almost $400 at BRU or Target. I definitely like the smaller size and that it''s rechargeable. I could have used the PY without plugging it into the wall, but I would have had to get batteries and I simply didn''t.

I haven''t use it hands free because I''d heard the straps that come with it don''t work well. I''ve considered cutting holes in a sports bra to make my own hands free thing, but since most of the time I''ve got Ben on one side while I''m pumping, it''s just as easy to hold it.

My one complaint is that the soft shield horns warped after using it for about 6 weeks. Apparently this is really common. I bought the next larger size in the hard plastic shields and like those much better.

Honestly, I don''t think you can go wrong with either a Medela or Ameda double electric. You''ll have a learning curve and it may take a little bit for your body to respond to a pump, but it should happen if you''re pumping on a regular basis.

 

[qtiekiki]

I have the Medela PISA Shoulder Bag. I like the size of the bag. I pumped 4 times a day since DD was 4 months old, and it worked great. I am using it again with DS when I go back to work in a couple of months. I used it a few times already when I went out for errands, and it works just as well as it did when I first got it. I am going to get a bra that would let me be hand-free this time.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/30/2010 12:48:27 PM
Author: NovemberBride
DRK - I have the Medela Freestyle and I love it. The only thing I don''t like is the handsfree part - the straps are hard to put on and they''ve gone flying off a few times. But I bought one of the hands free bras and that solved the problem.

Re: weight gain - don''t let them pressure you into supplementing unless your DD really needs it. The rule about regaining birthweight by 2 weeks doesn''t really apply to EBF babies. So long as she''s eating regularly (every 2-3 hours round the clock) and has dirty and wet diapers, you are fine. My DD was 6lb 14 oz at birth, dropped to 6 lb 4 oz before we left the hospital and did not get back to her birthweight until after 3 weeks. As long as she was gaining pedi said we were fine to keep EBFing. I am a small person and DD is as well (at 4 months she was 12 lb 5 oz and very healthy).

Ditto this - Daisy lost 20% of her birth-weight in the first week and didn''t get back up to her birthweight till she was nearly 6 weeks.

She did get starved poor thing - I had no milk, hospital wouldn''t believe me or let me supplement, she ended up dehydrated: sunken fontanelle, no wet diapers for 5 days (and some with orange crystals in) and constant crying. I was sneaking in formula via my husband and feeding her in the bathroom plus giving her sips of water to make sure her kidneys kept working.

Eventually they realised how bad things were and immediately put her on formula and were brilliant - even got an official apology and the department protocols changed. The midwives who came to see me everyday for 2 weeks after we got home from hospital said that the important thing was wet diapers and weight gain even if it was only a tiny amount each day.

When a baby is dehydrated or not thriving, it is VERY obvious, you don''t wonder... you know!

I supplemented for 5 weeks and since then have EBF. If I''d had milk in the first 3 weeks I would never have supplemented - not that I think formula is bad at all, but it does change the gut flora in a way that breast milk doesn''t and so probably best to just stick to one if it''s possible.

 

[waxing lyrical]

I''m currently renting a Medela Lactina. I plan to purchase a PIS, perhaps used.

 

[drk]

Has anyone used the Avent Isis Duo? It sounds good too...